Jackson, Miss. (Northside Sun) –

The Columbus tornadoes last weekend are a reminder that Mississippi has the highest per capita deaths from tornadoes of any state in the country at 132 per million. Our prayers are extended to the family of Ashley Pounds who lost her life. We pray the church that was destroyed will rebuild quickly. At least Mississippi doesn’t suffer from raging forest fires or earthquakes.

Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, went to Columbus to help. What he saw there is a reminder of the great spirit of the people in Mississippi, especially in the face of tragedy. Speaking to the Stennis Press Forum at the Capital Club in downtown Jackson, Hosemann said, “It was a miracle there wasn’t more loss of life. People came from everywhere. And I’ve seen it time after time. People pulled up in this neighborhood and starting hauling logs off, picking up stuff, putting tarps on roofs and there was no relation to race, color, creed or national origin, economic status. None of that mattered. They would just pull up and get out with a pair of gloves and went to work. Every neighborhood was that way. It reminds me of Mississippi just being a giant neighborhood. When you really get down to it, that’s what we are. The government will do its part, MEMA (the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency) will do its part, but in the end, most of the heavy lifting, literally, is done by our fellow citizens. And every time I see this it’s a reminder that I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else but right here.”

Compared to other states, Mississippi does not have as much material abundance, but we should remind ourselves that our spiritual abundance is great. Mississippi is the most spiritual state in the union with the highest church attendance and the greatest percentage of believers. Despite our state’s relative lack of wealth, Mississippians give more per capita than all the other states. The poorest state is the most generous. Think on that for a moment. Also ponder this question: What is more important, material abundance or spiritual abundance?

Hosemann is correct. It’s a great blessing to live in Mississippi.

Original Story

Jackson, Miss. (Y’all Politics) –

This week, Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann discussed work his office is currently doing on redistricting projects at the Stennis Luncheon. He was also asked what his platform consists of in his run for Lt. Governor in the 2019 election cycle

“An educated workforce,” said Hosemann. “That’s where it’s going to be.”

Hosemann said in order for the state to move forward changes must be made for young people in what happens after high school. He said the practice of handing a high school graduate a diploma and asking them “now what do you want to do” has to end.

Hosemann said embedding community colleges in local high schools will help provide those students with the direction they need to embark on a career focused future to obtain the skills needed to begin those jobs.

Currently, there is a 55% labor participation rate in the state. Hosemann said his goal is to increase that by a percent a year. The national average is 63 percent.

Keeping in step with his education platform, Hosemann said while he is not in denial that there are road and bridge needs, he would have another goal if he makes it to the Lt. Governor’s seat.

“We’ve got other needs here, our teachers’ compensation is one of them,” said Hosemann. “If I’m lucky enough to be there I intend to raise teacher pay every year, not just on an election year.”

He was outspoken on his thoughts of the appropriation of the soon-to-be lottery revenue. The Mississippi Legislature appropriated the first $80 million for the next ten years, go straight to state infrastructure, Hosemann said it should have been given to education.

“I was not in favor of giving all the funds on the lottery to infrastructure, I thought it should go to education,” said Hosemann. However, he said, he believes $80 million was the wrong number and it could have been divided more equally.

Hosemann foresees that lawmakers will have an annual expense for infrastructure but should consider which roads are being focused on. He said counties should expect to participate in maintaining their roads and not show up and expect the legislature to pay for them once a year.

“We can’t have people show up when they can’t take of the 398 bridges in their own county and expect you to come up with millions every year to subsidize it,” said Hosemann.

When asked whether or not he would support Medicaid expansion if elected Lt. Governor, Hosemann said, only if the score was balanced.

“I think it needs to be where the state is not out significant amounts of money,” said Hosemann. He said he would like to take the necessary steps to get the cost close to breaking even. “I think we could come up with something that is acceptable and affordable,” said Hosemann.

The Governor chose not to expand Medicaid this year, which was a decision backed by the Division of Medicaid Director Drew Snyder and many Legislators, but not without its share of backlash.

Hosemann faces Democrat Representative Jay Hughes in the race for Lt Governor in 2019.

Original Story

Columbus, Miss. (WCBI) –

People across the area are lending helping hands in the impacted areas in Columbus, truly showing what it means to live in the Friendly City.

“Columbus is just a big neighborhood and we saw hundreds of people showing up carrying logs out of the backyard, helping people move their stuff trying to store their things that haven’t been destroyed and really when you get down to it, the government will do its part, but the faith-based community and their neighbors are what really makes a difference,” says Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann.

People across the Friendly City are working to help clean up and offer support all across tornado scarred areas.

“We’re offering sandwiches, chips, apples, bottled water. Anything to help relieve the people that can’t cook right now.”

“We just wanted to come, you know, be the hands and feet of Christ,” says Ann Robinson.

Passing out food, cooking, or serving it, volunteers are doing all they can to help those impacted.

“Totally devastated over everything, that’s why I felt like I needed to do something and this was the best way to do it,” says Gwendolyn Summerville.

We even caught up with Ward 5 councilman Stephen Jones, helping people affected by the storm.

“This morning, went out door to door trying to pass our breakfast to people that may not have had power and weren’t unable to eat and then now, we’re just out here trying to cut up some trees in some different areas because of course, the city will not go on private property, so we’re just trying to make sure we get some of these trees to the streets, so the city can pick them up .”

Jones along with childhood friends are back where they grew up picking up fallen trees and the pieces.

“I’ve got a lot of friends of mine that I grew up with, they’re all out here volunteering with all this stuff that they have. These are actually friends of mine that grew up in this neighborhood, or that are associated with this neighborhood somehow, and they’ve all come out to help.”

If you’re wanting to volunteer, please contact one of the following for more information.

Donations – Glena Buckhalter, Community Outreach – 662-364-1850

Cleanup-Renae Sanders – 662-570-9095

Original Story

Jackson, Miss. (Chocktaw Plaindealer) –

Sixty-seven of the thousands of K-12 students who participated in 2018 Promote the Vote activities were recognized at the Mississippi Capitol today for high achievement in the arts and writing.

Promote the Vote is Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann’s comprehensive K-12 voter education program.  This year’s program, which included a mock election and art and essay contests, asked students to contemplate how they may “Make a Difference in Mississippi” by voting and otherwise getting involved in their communities. 

The art contest asked students to depict “Colors of My Community” by pretending they were an artist commissioned to draw a mural on a building in their hometown representing the place and people.  The essay contest, called “We Have Business to Do!,” called on entrants to choose one local industry and write an essay on how a business in that industry can provide community support by connecting with or supporting their school by using the Secretary of State’s Y’all Business website, www.yallbusiness.sos.ms.gov.  

Seven artists across the State judged art entries, and nine journalists and professors judged essays.

“These students are our State’s future leaders.  Through Promote the Vote, we’re able to support the people on the ground—our educators—in their mission to teach these students about how critically important it is for them to vote and get involved in their communities,” Secretary Hosemann said. 

For the first time in PTV’s decades-long history, Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s (MPB) Education arm partnered with the Secretary of State’s Office to encourage school, teacher, and student participation.  MPB hosted a mock election precinct contest, and recognized schools and classrooms with festive election décor for their mock election.  Two schools won prizes: Pearl Upper Elementary and Carthage Christian Academy.

“I applaud the Secretary of State’s office for organizing this effort with schools emphasizing the importance of voting,” MPB Executive Director Ronnie Agnew said. “Reaching our children while they are still children will yield results in the future. Through this program, I hope that all of the participating partners have gotten the message across to our kids that voting is a right that we simply must exercise.”

Promote the Vote essay and art contest winners received $100 (First Place), $75 (Second Place), and $50 (Third Place) provided by sponsor banks across the State, and free entry to the Mississippi Museum of History and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum.  Teachers also received $50 per winning entry to spend in their classrooms.  Additionally, winning art entries will be on display in Jackson State University’s Downtown Gallery, 101 W. Capitol Street, from March 6-May 31.

Free to participating schools, Promote the Vote began in 1996. This year, more than 320 schools and about 70,000 students participated in Promote the Vote activities.  The 2019 Promote the Vote program will kick off in August with a mock election for Governor and art and essay contests.

More information about Promote the Vote is available on the Secretary of State’s web site. A full list of winners is attached to this release, and photos of winners relevant to coverage area will be provided to media outlets.

Original Story

Natchez, Miss. (Natchez Democrat) –

Secretary of state Delbert Hosemann should be highly recommended for taking the initiative to have Mississippi sue the federal government on behalf of state schools systems with public school lands adjacent to the Mississippi River that is flooded for long periods of time, thus preventing timber harvesting and oil and gas exploration and production.

There are also many private lands, which are affected. Land owners, timber companies, oil and gas operators, soybean farmers and employees at those entities, and royalties of owners and investors are cut off from income that is important to them.

In addition, the state loses thousands of dollars in severance taxes and state income taxes. And the federal government loses huge amounts of federal income taxes because of income losses due to the flooding. 

As a landowner affected by the Mississippi River flooding, I know that I’ve also had relief by federal government action. Perhaps all flooded Mississippians should form an association, i.e., Flooded Mississippians Association, and attempt to join secretary Hosemann’s suit as a friend of the court, or perhaps file our own lawsuit.

This flooding has gone on way too long. It’s time to demand relief from the federal government, which would also benefit from eliminating the problem.

There is at least one remedy that could be used immediately. There are several spillways that could be opened. The Corps of Engineers does not want to open them, and do so only on rare occasions.

These spillways were paid for by taxpayer funds and I believe that Louisiana owners of property on which the spillways are located are paid lease money to refrain from putting buildings, cattle or crops on the land.

For whatever their reasons, perhaps it should at least be explored as to finding ways to implement use of the spillways. On one occasion the spillway gate located in LaPlace, Louisiana, was opened and the water was off of our place in three days.

It was reported in the news that the river knocked it open, but a Corps of Engineers colonel assured me that the Corps had opened it.

A more long-term solution would include dredging, and perhaps some levees on the Mississippi side of the river.

 We need to find the answers and then get it done.

Claiborne P. Hollis,

Natchez resident

Original Story

Jackson, Miss. (Sea Coast Echo) –

Mississippi Sen. Philip Moran, a Kiln native, was named this week as one of the “MS Top 50,” the Top 50 most influential leaders in the state. Moran received the award Monday at the award event and reception at the Old Capitol Inn in Jackson.

“It’s overwhelming,” Moran said Tuesday. “It’s a tremendous honor. I’m very humbled. … it’s an incredible honor to have even been mentioned, much less selected within that group, among leaders deemed to have the most positive influence on the state. There were some very heavy-hitters who got awards last night.”

Among other winners this year were Gov. Phil Bryant; Speaker of the House Philip Gunn; Sec. of State Delbert Hosemann; U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith; U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo; Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves; State Auditor Shad White; Hancock Whitney Bank CEO John Hairston; and WLOX news anchor David Elliott.

The MS Top 50 is sponsored by Entergy Mississippi and Mississippi Farm Bureau.

“Recognizing the most influential every year helps to spotlight what is right with Mississippi and the people who can be the keys to providing leadership to what it can and should be,” according to the MS Top 50 organization’s website.

“In the unprecedented special session of 2018, Senator Moran was instrumental in the passage of three major pieces of legislation in a mere five days,” according to the site.

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Natchez, Miss. (Natchez Democrat) –

The State of Mississippi announced Monday it was suing the federal government over mud of all things.

You see the state has finally realized that flood control measures put into place more than half a century ago have greatly affected Mississippi land, in particular, public land belonging to local school districts.

The lawsuit brought forth by Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann and Attorney General Jim Hood is seeking $25 million or more to offset the functional loss of land that is damaged and often flooded due to floods of greater frequency.

The lawsuit alleges that the U.S. government is liable for the damage such as loss of timber incurred after the Old River Control Structure was built in the 1950s. The structure helps regulate the flow of the Mississippi River. If it were not there the river would take an easier path and divert its flow to the Atchafalaya River. That would leave the cities of Baton Rouge and New Orleans high and dry.

But, as the lawsuit points out, the control of the river has a cost and in Natchez-Adams County more than 5,500 acres of school property have been lost due to consistent flooding.

We applaud Hosemann and Hood for taking on the matter. Both men are currently running for higher office, Hosemann the lieutenant governor’s seat and Hood the governor’s mansion.

If they gain a little attention in the process that helps their campaign, so be it.

In the end the matter certainly seems like one worth fighting for.

Original Story

Biloxi, Miss. (WLOX) –

The Federal Government hurt some local school systems. According to the Mississippi Secretary of State and the Mississippi Attorney General, the Feds damaged eight thousand acres of state land set aside to benefit public education.

But this didn’t happen just yesterday. The Mississippi land was set aside 200 years ago. The damage happened six decades ago when an old river control structure diverted more water from the Atchafalaya River to the Mississippi River to prevent flooding in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The diversion resulted in flooding of the public land in Mississippi.

Some schools typically get the proceeds of timber sales, leases and more on that land. The state wants $25 million in damages for the school districts affected.

We agree. The Feds owe the damages. We don’t know why the state waited so long to file a claim. But there is no doubt the Federal Government has done us wrong, again.

Original Story

Jackson, Miss. (Y’all Politics) – 

Two bills which would make it easier and cheaper to distribute a decedent’s property to their heirs are now moving to the Mississippi House of Representatives for floor debate.

House Bills 1375 and 1425, sponsored by Representative Rob Roberson (R-Starkville), passed the House Judiciary A Committee this week.  Tuesday, February 5, marked the 2019 Legislative Session’s first major deadline for committees to act on general bills originating in their own chamber.

“When a loved one passes away, the last thing family members should have to deal with is complicated and expensive legalities,” Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said. “This bill is meant to simplify the probate process, and over time I expect thousands of Mississippians will save hundreds of thousands of dollars because of this new legislation.”

In May 2018, Secretary Hosemann commissioned a study group of 26 judges, chancery court clerks, probate attorneys, former legislators, and wealth management professionals to study the State’s current probate process.  In October 2018, the group finalized 13 recommendations, which are included in the pending legislation.

These include:

• Allowing “transfer on death” deeds, which provide a mechanism to transfer real property at death without going through the probate process;
• Expanding the current small estate statute by allowing the transfer of personal property outside of the probate process when the estate is under $100,000; and
• Removing the inventory requirement if an inventory of the decedent’s assets is waived in the will, unless the chancellor determines an inventory is necessary.

Secretary Hosemann commissioned a second study group—made up of 23 members, including real estate and banking attorneys, real estate professionals, paralegals, and chancery clerks—to research allowing in-person (not remote) electronic notarization of documents.  The group concluded electronic notarization would increase efficiency while protecting document authentication by still requiring the notary to appear in person before the signer.

House Bill 777, sponsored by Representative Shane Aguirre (R-Tupelo), which would authorize electronic notarization, also passed the House Judiciary A Committee this week.

The bill requires the Secretary of State’s Office to develop a program to generate unique document authentication numbers (“DAN”) to include on every electronically notarized document.  The DAN and the notary’s name, jurisdiction, and commission expiration date would serve as an electronic seal.  Thirty states currently have electronic notarization.

Original Story

Greenwood, Miss. (Greenwood Commonwealth) – 

Republicans across the country regularly get criticized for going too far with restrictive election laws. And sometimes it does look as if these lawmakers are determined to find creative ways to keep people who are likely to vote for Democrats away from the polls.

By and large, that has not happened in recent history in Mississippi. Largely that’s because Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann led the way a few years ago in implementing a voter ID law in such…(read more)